There is no lack of biographies of Walt Disney. On my own bookshelves, I have at least three dozen, some of them quite good, if sometimes contradictory. I am certain even as I type these words there is someone somewhere in the world in the process of writing yet another one.
Yet, there was a proposed autobiography of Walt in 1950 that I would have enjoyed including in my collection, except for the fact that it would probably have prevented the Pete Martin/Diane Disney Miller one from ever being produced.
Ewen Cameron Shipp was a journalist specializing in ghost-writing celebrity autobiographies. He was the author of the autobiography of Mack Sennett (King of Comedy, 1954), Lionel Barrymore (We Barrymores, 1951) and actress Billie Burke (With a Feather on My Nose, 1949). He died at the age of 57 on August 20, 1961.
Shipp began his career as a newspaper reporter in North Carolina and, eventually, authored numerous articles about Hollywood in leading magazines. He was a movie publicist for a time in the 1940s.
While publicizing a Bette Davis picture, The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941), Shipp wrote a story that had the actress leaping from a plane (a plane and a pilot played by James Cagney figured prominently in the screenplay) as part of the filming and landing on a cactus plant. He included appropriate pictures, that had been staged, of course, and a fictitious doctor removing some 40-odd cactus needles from the derriere of Miss Davis.
It is doubtful any newspaper editor thought it was real and yet, most of them used the colorful story in their newspapers and even went for Shipp's follow-up story of quick-buck entrepreneurs getting eager tourists to buy “genuine needles” from you-know-where.
After seeing the flood of tear sheets from newspapers around the country with this exaggerated story, Miss Davis declared: '”How do you like that? This guy Shipp making a career out of my ass!”
In 1950, Shipp lived on 715 Kenneth Road in Glendale, California, and pitched The Saturday Evening Post, the most popular family friendly magazine of the time period, with the idea of Walt Disney telling the story of his life in his own words in a series of articles. Shipp would interview Walt and do the actual writing, as he had for other celebrities with perhaps some dramatic exaggeration.
This four-page Letter of Agreement on Walt Disney Productions letterhead paper, dated June 7, 1950 doesn't just record an attempt at an autobiography of Walt Disney, but gives some insight into the mind of Walt in terms of how he would want himself presented.
Obviously, Walt had consulted with the Disney lawyer and the result is a finely detailed document that would probably please the legal staff of the Disney Company today. For those who never saw Walt as a “businessman,” this letter shows that he was very aware of possible rights issues and tried to anticipate all possibilities.
The Disney family as featured in
The Saturday Evening Post in a series of articles by Diane Disney Miller, told to Pete Martin.
It also gives some idea of what the later contract for the Martin book may have looked like. Remember that this letter was written 65 years ago and, yet, its coverage would probably be similar if written today.
“Dear Mr. Shipp:
“You have advised me that The Curtis Publishing Company has indicated to you a definite interest in the publication of the story of my life in a series of articles to be written by you and published in The Saturday Evening Post in serial form. Said story in serial form is hereinafter sometimes referred to as 'the story'. You have informed me further that The Curtis Publishing Company is willing to make every reasonable effort to publish the story concurrent with, or close to, the release date of my forthcoming motion picture, Alice in Wonderland, which release is now tentatively scheduled for the Easter season of 1951. (Korkis note: The film was actually released July 1951.)
“Subject to the provisions, terms and limitations hereinafter set forth, I hereby give and grant to you the right to contract for and license the initial publication of 'the story' by The Curtis Publishing Company in its periodical, The Saturday Evening Post, together with the right and license to publish and/or contract for the publication of the first serial rights, as said term 'first serial rights' is understood in the publishing business. The period during which said rights of publication may be exercised shall be and continue for a period of two years from the date hereof after which term all rights shall, unless extended by me in writing, revert to me and be and remain my own property.
“In view of the possible benefits which may accrue to me from the publication of the story in The Saturday Evening Post reasonably coincident with the release date of Alice in Wonderland, I hereby agree to the use of my name as follows in submitting the aforesaid story to the publishers of The Saturday Evening Post:
“By Walt Disney as told to Cameron Shipp”
“I understand that you have developed and perfected a technique of your own in writing life-stories in the first person. However I believe it entirely proper that I reserve the right to change the wording of said joint by-line if the story does not appropriately present my life and experiences as I would tell them.
“In the event the story meets with my final approval, I hereby grant you the right to use my name, photograph and other physical likeness in the story and customary newspaper advertising in the event the story is published by The Saturday Evening Post. No merchandising 'tie-ups' involving the use of my photograph, likeness, or name shall be indulged in in connection with this endeavor without my consent. I make these reservations as I am under contract to Walt Disney Productions, a corporation engaged in the production, publicizing and exploitation of motion pictures produced or supervised by me. My rights are limited to the extent of my obligations, contractual and otherwise, to said corporation. Also Walt Disney Productions has certain third-party commitments with respect to the publication of books, magazines, and similar material as well as the exploitation and publicizing of its motion pictures. My name is used in connection with various endeavors engaged in by the corporation.
“I recognize that in writing such a story or serial based on life stories, it is frequently necessary to change actual events and experiences to dramatize and fictionalize them. However, it is specifically and strictly understood that you may not include any actual or fictional incidents, scenes, dialogues, events and other material which I may not consider proper, appropriate or necessary.
“You must not include anything in the story that may be libelous of me or any third person or reflect on me or on any such third person in any way. For the purpose of avoiding any matter which may be objectionable to me or contravene rights of Walt Disney Productions and/or that company's privies, you will be obligated to submit the story to me for my approval or disapproval. You agree to make such changes and corrections as I may request. On my part, I will with the aid of my staff give full cooperation to this enterprise, supplying material for the story, and giving you all necessary interviews to the end that you shall have the chance to successfully present the story of my life, career, or experiences. It is specifically understood, however, that interviews with me and my cooperation shall be subject to my reasonable convenience, and particularly not infringe upon my work or vocation.
“You recognize, of course, that I may not own complete rights to all of the material, cartoon designs, events and other things and circumstances with which I have come in contact, supervised, worked with, or lived through, and insofar as any such limitations are concerned, you will be obligated to respect my rights and obligations as well as those of third parties. (Korkis note: Walt is referring to things like Oswald, the Lucky Rabbit.)
“Since my life experiences and endeavors are privileged and of great importance to me, it is hereby specifically provided that, with the exception of such rights as may be granted to The Saturday Evening Post, the story shall be and remain my sole, complete and absolute property, and I shall have and retain all rights in the same including the right to copyright in my own name or otherwise, throughout the world. Any agreement with respect to publication in The Saturday Evening Post shall be subject to my written approval. I obligate myself, however, to exercise said right of approval in good faith with the main object of protecting my reputation, good name, obligations and public good will.
“All remuneration for the rights granted to The Saturday Evening Post for the publication of the story shall be paid to you as compensation for your writing and other work performed and to be performed hereunder excepting as otherwise hereinafter specifically provided.
“Excepting such rights as may be specifically granted to The Saturday Evening Post, all rights of every kind and nature to the story and all material contained in it shall be and remain my property and/or Walt Disney Productions', as our said respective rights may appear, including (as my or our property) all radio, dramatic, television, and motion picture rights.
“In the event the story, as such, and its treatment shall hereafter be published by me in book form, or if the same shall be incorporated in a book, I agree to pay to you fifty (50%) percent of any net royalties received by me from such book publication.
“You shall be obligated to use your very best efforts to accomplish the publication of said story in the form of a serial to be presented in not less than three installments or parts of not less than three thousand words each. In the event the said story shall be written for submission by you as only one single story or installment, and not in installments or as a serial, then and in such event, I shall have the right to refuse to approve its publication. I agree, however, to exercise the highest good faith in this respect and not to act arbitrarily or without good reason.
“The story shall be published, if at all, in The Saturday Evening Post within two years from the date hereof and not later, unless extended by me in writing; it being specifically provided that The Curtis Publishing Company and The Saturday Evening Post shall be obligated to make every reasonable effort to release the story in The Saturday Evening Post, so that at least one installment shall appear on a date reasonably close to the general release date of Alice in Wonderland. Said obligation, however, shall not be construed as binding said Saturday Evening Post to the exercise of more than reasonable diligence in good faith.
“You on your part agree in good faith and with no reservations to exercise all due diligence and professional skill to produce the story consistent with your standard of work as previously accepted by The Saturday Evening Post.
“At the request of The Saturday Evening Post, I agree to supply illustrations and art work to be mutually agreed upon between The Saturday Evening Post and me in connection with the story. Said illustrations shall be in full color and of a standard consistent with the quality of art commonly associated with the DISNEY name. It is specifically understood that The Saturday Evening Post shall pay me for such illustrations and art work. Such remuneration shall remain my property without any right or participation therein by you.
“Insofar as I have the right so to do, I agree not to permit the publication of a full story or history of my life, competitive with and along the lines of the story contemplated herein for a period of two (2) years from the date thereof; it being understood between us that you are aware of my obligations to Walt Disney Productions and third parties with whom said company may have commitments.
“You shall not have the right to assign, transfer or grant any of the rights herein given to you to any other person, firm or corporation, in whole or in part, excepting The Saturday Evening Post as herein provided.
“This agreement represents our complete and entire understanding.
“If the foregoing correctly sets forth your understanding, kindly sign below the words “Agreed To” and thereupon this letter shall constitute our agreement.
Yours very truly,
Walter E. Disney”
It was signed by Walt and countersigned by Shipp on that final page.
That serialized autobiography was never done and no one seems to know what happened. Many proposed projects simply never happened.
While the Shipp project disappeared, Jack Alexander wrote a two part article titled “The Amazing Story of Walt Disney” for the October 31 and November 7, 1953 issues of The Saturday Evening Post. These were not “as told to” pieces, but a typical recounting of the familiar rags-to-riches Walt story with some “candid” photos of Walt with his employees and family.
In 1941, Alexander had written a famous article about Alcoholics Anonymous for the Post that brought the Alcoholics Anonymous organization to the attention of millions of readers and later followed it up with another article in 1950. In 1941, A.A. had roughly 2,000 members nationwide and, after the article, the membership at least tripled. By 1950, the organization had more than 96,000 members much in part to Alexander's writing making people aware of the existence and work of the organization.
Born in St. Louis, Alexander had worked for newspapers and The New Yorker before joining the Post and was known for his skepticism and his detailed research.
Alexander became a senior editor at the Post, and, in a special tribute to him at his retirement in 1961, the Post cited the 1941 Alcoholics Anonymous piece as his most famous article for the magazine.
In failing health, Jack Alexander and his wife Anita retired to Florida, where he died on September 17, 1975 at the age of 73.
The Saturday Evening Post revisited the idea of an “as told to” autobiography of Walt Disney.
W. Thornton (“Pete”) Martin (who was also a former Post editor) was a “celebrity friendly” writer who did a series of celebrity visits for the Post titled “I Call On…” (eg. I Call On Perry Como, I Call On Shirley McLaine, etc.) that continued to appear in the magazine for decades.
Some of this writing was compiled and edited into the books Hollywood Without Make-Up (1948) and Pete Martin Calls On (1962). He would co-write celebrity autobiographies like Have Tux, Will Travel with Bob Hope (1954) and Call Me Lucky (1953) with Bing Crosby.
The Saturday Evening Post approached Walt Disney with the proposal to have him write (with the assistance of Pete Martin) his autobiography in serial form for the magazine. They offered Walt $150,000. Walt was already deeply involved in Disneyland that had opened a year earlier, but wanted to help his daughter Diane and her husband Ron get a house, and had no money to give them because everything was tied up in his new theme park.
So Walt made a counter-proposal that he would be interviewed, but that Diane would be credited as the author so that she would receive the money.
Walt had always tried to promote his daughter Diane as a writer. He often brought samples of Diane's writing to the Studio for evaluation by his writing staff. The Post agreed to the arrangement, but cut the offer in half to $75,000.
Diane remembers spending June and July of 1956 by the pool at her dad's house, where the sounds of planes flying overhead and bird noises and more were also captured on the recordings. Walt spent a couple of days answering questions and remembering his life. Martin recorded it all on reel-to-reel audio tape. Diane contributed some questions and was interviewed as well. Her younger sister Sharon was also involved even more briefly.
There were rumors at the time that an unauthorized biography of Walt was in the works, so supposedly Walt decided he would undercut that other project by getting his own official version out there first. Martin seemed like a good choice because he was an accessible writer who could put a positive spin on things.
When he and Walt discussed the harsh corporal punishment that Walt's father often meted out on young Walt, Martin was able to steer the anecdote to the conclusion that this type of behavior was not unusual for the time, but just the way parents including his own did their parenting back then.
Walt wasn't always accurate in terms of exact dates or chronology for certain incidents and that material was never cross-checked and corrected before the articles and the book were published.
The “My Dad, Walt Disney” series of articles began in The Saturday Evening Post on November 17, 1956. The other seven parts appeared Nov. 24, 1956, Dec. 1, 1956, Dec. 8, 1956, Dec. 15, 1956, Dec. 22, 1956, Dec. 29, 1956, and the conclusion Jan. 5, 1957.
In the editorial that accompanied that first installment in November, it stated: “Walt Disney looked up from the manuscript which his daughter had asked him to read, and he said to Pete Martin, Diane's collaborator, 'I've been written up a great many times, but this is the first time the warm, intimate, true story has come through.' Then he paid a tribute which in Martin's experience, despite all his years of writing about people, was almost unique; Disney's eyes filled with tears. Disney is a man of deep and swift sentiment, as the true geniuses so often are. Disney was reading passages in the manuscript in which Diane was tenderly relating childhood memories of her father, telling things that he didn't know she knew or had thought about him.”
These articles were later compiled/expanded/edited and appeared in a hardcover book in 1957 from Henry Holt titled The Story of Walt Disney. There were at least five foreign editions: Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The editions feature different photos or photos cropped differently in them.
Copies of the American version were sold at Disneyland for $5 and were personally autographed by both Walt and Diane. They could also be purchased through mail order. In 1959, a $0.35 cent Dell paperback version was released.
In celebration of Disneyland's 50th anniversary, a special limited hardcover edition (with an index of corrections from Disney Archivist Dave Smith and a short introduction by Diane where she claims not to have written one word of the book) was released and sold at Disneyland for the celebration.
The Shipp series of articles was just another curious “never was” project in the life of Walt and, if it had been done, there would have been no reason for The Saturday Evening Post to do another similar piece by Pete Martin. In addition, by waiting until 1956, Martin was able to include Walt's impressions of Disneyland, something that did not exist in 1951, nor had planning actually begun for that entertainment venue.
So, while I would have been interested in seeing what Shipp might have come up with, I would not want to sacrifice the Martin series of articles and its rich, extra material that was never used but fortunately still survives on those precious audio tapes.
Enough new material about Walt has been discovered in the last few years that a really good new biography could be written about him, but I hope the author will avoid any psychoanalyzing or jumping to assumptions. Walt is interesting enough just being himself.
